1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a system and method for reducing media induced micro-discharge events in a data storage device.
2. Background Art
As the need for electronic data storage has increased, manufacturers of data storage devices (e.g., floppy disk drives, magnetic tape devices, flexible media storage devices, etc.) have sought ways to store more data in less physical space. In particular, manufacturers of flexible media storage devices (i.e., magnetic tape devices) have increased magnetic tape cartridge capacities by increasing the linear data density, the number of data tracks written across the width of the tape, and by extending the length of the tape contained within a data cartridge. Techniques to increase magnetic tape cartridge capacities typically use very thin magnetic media and minimal head to media separation.
Electro-static charges may build on data storage media when the media is exposed to friction. Friction often results from the media rubbing against itself and the media rubbing against drive components such as the head, guides, rollers, and the like. Because the storage media is generally a poor conductor, the electro-static charges can remain on the media until the media comes in contact with a path to ground. Studies of the data transfer (i.e., read/write) performance of magnetic data storage devices have indicated that small electric discharges (i.e., micro-discharges, triboelectric discharges, electro-static discharges, etc.) can occur between thin media sources and data storage device heads. Discharges that contact data transfer mechanisms (e.g., read sensors, write sensors, and the like) are particularly problematic because the discharge events are generally of sufficient amplitude and duration to hinder the data recordation/retrieval processes and may also damage the read/write sensors.
Conventional approaches for reducing problematic thin media induced micro-discharge events typically use grounding of the data storage device head (i.e., electrically coupling the head to a ground potential). However, conventional approaches have failed to sufficiently reduce the number of electro-static discharges at the data transfer mechanisms (e.g., read sensors, write sensors, and the like) to meet customer reliability and performance expectations.
Thus, it would be desirable to have a system and a method for reducing micro-discharge events at the data transfer mechanisms (i.e., read sensors, write sensors, and read/write sensors) of a data storage device. A reduction in such micro-discharge events may provide a corresponding reduction in data transfer errors. In addition, reducing micro-discharge events at the data transfer mechanism may provide less stress on the data storage head. Such a reduction in stress may provide an increase in the mean time between failures of the data storage head.